In summary
Good riddance January, hello February – and the prospect (hopefully) of some nicer spring weather ahead!
Do take a look at Feb’s newsletter below where we profile future FSB events and take a look at our local campaign work from January – including our asks around the beleaguered A555 in south Manchester + more details about a public sector procurement initiative designed help more GM businesses like yours win contracts for local councils here.
As ever, if you need my assistance with anything business related, I’m on: [email protected]
Featured news and events
Could you be the next FSB Regional Chair?
We are currently seeking nominations from FSB members in the North West to become our new, regional Chair with effect from 1st April 2025. Working alongside staff the regional Chair promotes and champions FSB to external stakeholders and audiences, supports our lobbying on issues important to local businesses and supports activity and membership growth within the region. To find out more, request a copy of the full role description, please contact [email protected]. Deadline Thursday 13 February. Selection will take place between 14 and 28 February.
A555 misery not acceptable
Inclement weather on New Year’s Eve triggered widespread problems for users of the busy A555 duel carriageway, a vital link for traffic into south-Manchester, including Manchester Airport and the wider motorway network. Prolonged heavy rain saw the road flood for the umpteenth time since it opened in 2018. It remained closed to traffic in both directions for 11 days – the longest it’s been closed due to flooding. Media picked up on the story HERE and HERE with FSB quoted in the coverage.
The closure triggered problems for motorists attempting to access Manchester Airport, the wider GM motorway network, and onwards travel to the city centre and south Cheshire. This resulted in significant disruption for businesses in village centres such as Bramhall and Poynton with thousands forced to cancel travel plans or seek alternate routes, adding to the gridlock. FSB has now written to Stockport and Cheshire East councils asking to meet to discuss their plans to make the A555 more resilient to rain events. Stockport Council has said it will conduct a ‘Section 19’ investigation to understand the road’s technical limitations and what can be done to improve it for users going forward. FSB will report on further work by both councils in this matter – watch this space!
Clean Air Zone update
The final nail in the coffin for a charging Clean Air Zone in GM was hammed home in mid-January as the new government finally accepted Andy Burnham’s proposals for an investment led alternative relying on electric buses to further reduce NOx emissions. It means the original plan which would have seen steep charges for commercial diesel vehicles registered before 2016, to drive anywhere in the city region, have been ditched – permanently. The latest Clean Air Plan monitoring data for 2023, shows air quality is ‘significantly improving’, and the locations of road-based nitrogen dioxide (NOx) exceedances have more than halved in five years. FSB was the only business organisation to oppose the original CAZ when it was announced in 2018.
Events in GM - “I must do more networking in 2025!”
If that’s you, you’re in luck as we have networking to suit all tastes and types. Pure Networking – our ever-popular virtual networking event – takes place fourth Wednesday every month, next one 26 Feb HERE; there’s Network Altrincham and Network Alderley Edge with our partners at Colony – FSB members should use the discount code TBNSM for 50% off the ticket price. And make a note in your diary for the next Network MediaCity – our flagship event which in January saw over 150 attend on the night – on April 30.
In other news
GM public sector procurement pilot: ‘game changer’
In the past few newsletter we told you about a new pilot your local FSB team have been working on for GM based businesses, helping open up public sector procurement to much smaller businesses and make it much easier to find and win a deliverable contract. The project has been delayed for tech reasons but is now planned to go live on 17 Feb – so watch out for much more on this in the media as we’ve a few high profile endorsements!
The new platform means businesses will be able to avoid the need to go on the Chest – a clunky Government portal where public sector contracts over a certain value are advertised. If you want to learn more about this join us for a second informal session where we’ll be talking you through the process and how to enroll for free.
Book your place for our event on Fri 21 Feb>
AI Bootcamp - 1 May - St Helens
FSB’s NW team will put on a special, one-off event delving in to the world of AI for businesses like just yours! Taking place at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens, we’ll be shining a spotlight on the latest developments in this new, groundbreaking tech with a raft of industry experts on hand for a full day of learning and networking where you can discover and learn much, much more about AI and what it can do to transform the way you’re working today. We’ll be exploring the here and now of AI tech, as well as looking into the future to see what’s coming next in this rapidly evolving tech-juggernaut. Our five handpicked speakers will also take a look at how businesses across the globe are turning to this new tech to save time, increase productivity, and learn new ways of working in areas such as social media marketing. We’ll also be putting on a mini-AI trade show so if you’re a business that would like to tap in to an AI interested audience, stands are £70 for members and £100 for non-members. Interested?
Still in the news
FSB Business Issues Group - can you help?
Would you like to be involved in an FSB policy group that meets quarterly to highlight and discuss issues affecting the small and micro-business community in the North West? We are looking for business owners who could attend one or two 90 minute virtual sessions a year on a rotational basis, so dipping in and out, ideally with at least one member of staff - although this is not a pre-requisite. When we say policy, what we mean is 'issues'. So if business issues are on your mind and you have views on subjects from the NI increase to business rates, from the price of energy to the increasing cost of doing business, we want to here from you. Contact me on [email protected]; or call for an informal chat on: 0791 762 8905.
More news and activity near you
- Lancashire and Cumbria
- Merseyside and Cheshire
- More from FSB North West
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Greater Manchester is Robert Downes. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email us: [email protected]
- follow us on X: @FSBManchester
- follow us on Facebook: @Greater.Manchester
- follow Rob on LinkedIn: @robertdownesfsbmanchester